1. First make the Marie Rose sauce by placing six big dollops of mayonnaise into a mixing bowl with one tablespoon of tomato ketchup and mix. Add one teaspoon of Worcester sauce, twelve drops of Tabasco, half teaspoon of paprika, half teaspoon of white pepper and juice of half a lemon. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

2. Firstly get all the cocktail ingredients ready in separate bowls. 1) Shred the iceberg lettuce, rinse well then toss in a sieve to dry and squeeze on juice of half a lime. 2) Skin the avocado and remove stone and pip (on the thin end), roughly chop into small chunks and place under water to stop it going brown. 3) De-seed the tomato and finely dice.

3. Mix the Crunchy Critters’ insects in a bowl, use any combination of the insects or just one type if preferable.

4. Build it! 1) Use four glass dessert bowls or whatever you’ve got to serve, divide the lettuce between the bowls and spoon on the avocado. 2) Sprinkle on one tablespoon of the insects and follow with a large dollop of the Marie Rose sauce. 3) Sprinkle over the remaining critters and the diced tomato building it up in the middle as you go.

5. Finish with a small dusting of paprika and the parsley, drizzle with the olive oil and serve with a wedge of lime and some crusty bread.

Fifty five grams Crunchy Critters mealworms or crickets (or a mix of each)

Sunflower oil (for frying)

Preparation Method:

1. Check the crickets (if using) for any legs and remove as these are a bit unpalatable – the odd one or two won’t hurt! Place forty five grams of the critters into a food blender and pulse for two seconds at a time until a finely chopped consistency is achieved. Place into a large mixing bowl along with the bread crumbs and mix.

2. In the same food blender (no need to wash) place all the vegetables and fresh herbs and process until finely chopped but not puréed!

3. Heat a large frying pan and over a low heat fry the vegetable mixture stirring regularly for about five minutes. Add the spices and continue to cook for another five minutes stirring regularly. Allow to cool until cold enough to handle.

4. When the mixture is cool enough to handle scrape into the mixing bowl along with the insects and breadcrumbs, using a wooden spoon or your hands. Mix until well combined.

5. Add the eggs and the last ten grams of insects into the pattie mix and stir well. When mixed form the patties with your hands into small burger sized portions about two-three centimetres thick place on an oiled tray.

6. Put the large frying pan back on a medium heat, wait five minutes to come to temperature, add a tablespoon of sunflower oil and carefully with a slotted fish slice add the patties, beware of the hot oil spitting! Fry for about four-five minutes until golden then carefully turn over and continue to fry for another five minutes until a nice, gold colour is achieved. They are now ready to eat.

Enjoy these in pitta bread or wrap with some crisp lettuce, tomatoes, black olives and some yoghurt, or whichever way you want!

Critter Burgers

Vegetables – one onion, one stick of celery, one medium carrot, one small courgette, two medium/large mushrooms, one clove of garlic

One hundred grams breadcrumbs

Fifty five grams Crunchy Critters Mealworms

Fifty five grams Crunchy Critters Crickets

Twenty grams Crunchy Critters Garlic Chapulines

One teaspoon sea salt

One teaspoon ground black pepper

One tablespoon Dijon mustard

Two medium free range eggs, beaten

One teaspoon fresh parsley, oregano and/or thyme

Preparation Method:

Place all the vegetables and garlic into a food processor and pulse for around ten seconds until the contents are finely chopped but not pureed.

Stir fry the veg mix in a little olive oil for five minutes in a heavy bottomed pan.

Scrape the par-cooked veg into a large mixing bowl and mix in the breadcrumbs, seasoning, eggs and mustard. Return the empty pan to a low heat.

Put the insects into the food processor and pulse for no more than five seconds (hold back five to ten percent of the insects if you like to see whole insects in the burger). Put the pulsed insects (and whole insects if using) into the vegetable mix and using your hands combine well.

Using your hands press the bug burger mix into even sized patties about three centimetres thick and place onto a tray with a little flour. Be sure to press the burger well, so there are no folds or cracks.

Splash a little more oil into the hot pan and fry the burgers for three minutes each side or until golden brown in colour, turn down the heat on the pan and cook for a further four minutes until hot in the middle (seventy five degrees celsius).

Enjoy your Critter Burgers in a bun with some fresh tzatziki or mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato and a bowl of chips or wedges.

Top Tip: For a spicy treat try replacing the Garlic Chapulines with Chilli Chapulines and add a fresh chilli or two at stage one.

Guide to Roasting Insects

The easiest method to roast insects is to lightly coat them in soy sauce and encase them in tin foil. Initially roast them within the tin foil before opening the foil out to finish the insects off in direct heat. By following this method the insects not only get steamed in soy sauce but also get crisped off prior to consumption. Top Tip: For a spicy treat add a splash of Tabasco Pepper Sauce, sprinkle of crushed peppercorns, Chinese five spice, paprika or dried chilli powder. Alternatively up the ante by adding a couple of crushed garlic cloves within the tin foil.

Buffalo Worms:

Pre- heat oven to 160 degrees centigrade (320 degrees fahrenheit) before placing the soy marinated Buffalo Worms in tin foil for 7-8 minutes. Next open up the tin foil and rattle the Buffalo Worms to make ensure they’re not sticking together. Place back in the oven for a further 2-5 minutes until they’re dry to the touch.

Mealworms:

Pre- heat oven to 160 degrees centigrade (320 degrees fahrenheit) before placing the soy marinated Mealworms in tin foil for 9-10 minutes. Next open up the tin foil and rattle the Mealworms to ensure they’re not sticking together. Place back in the oven for a further 3-5 minutes until they’re dry to the touch.

Crickets:

Pre- heat oven to 160 degrees centigrade (320 degrees fahrenheit) before placing the soy marinated Crickets in tin foil for 9-10 minutes. Next open up the tin foil and rattle the Crickets to ensure they’re not sticking together. Place back in the oven for a further 3-5 minutes until they’re dry to the touch.

Locusts:

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees centigrade (356 degrees fahrenheit). Whilst waiting for the oven to warm up remove their legs and wings. You should be able to nudge the legs off quite easily. To remove the wings lightly grip the abdomen before gently squeezing the upper wing joints between your thumb and index finger. Place the soy marinated Locusts in tin foil for 10-12 minutes. Next open up the tin foil and rattle the Locusts to ensure they’re not sticking together. Place back in the oven for a further 3-5 minutes until they’re dry to the touch. Try enjoying your Locusts with a cool crisp beer or the light semi sparkling Spanish Rosé “Hacienda de Lluna” Moscate.